Aerospace suppliers buoyed by £4.5bn Airbus order
AEROSPACE suppliers in the West Midlands have been buoyed by a big new order for manufacturer Airbus.
Pegasus Airlines, the second largest airline in Turkey, has signed an order with the Anglo-French consortium worth £4.5bn for 75 A320neo aircraft – the biggest single commercial aircraft order ever placed by a Turkish airline. The order could eventually be extended to 100 aircraft.
The deal says as much for Pegasus as it does for the aviation market and is an indication of Turkey’s ambitions to become a major global business centre. National flag carrier Turkish Airlines in also expanding its services and is set to become one of the major airlines flying into and out of Birmingham Airport.
Airbus has high hopes for the new A320. Incorporating new engines and large ‘Sharklet’ wing tip devices, the A320neo family of airliners will deliver fuel savings of 15%. The reduction in fuel burn is equivalent to 1.4m litres of fuel – the consumption of 1,000 mid-size cars, saving 3,600 tonnes of C02 per aircraft per year. In addition, the A320neo provides a double-digit reduction in NOx emissions and reduced engine noise.
Ali Sabanci, chairman of Pegasus, said: “It is with great pride that we are placing the biggest order in the history of Turkish civil aviation with Airbus for up to 100 A320neo Family aircraft.
“At Pegasus, we believe that everyone has the right to fly, and the A320neo with its 15% fuel burn reduction combined with superior cabin comfort made it without a doubt the best choice for achieving our ambitious future development plans.”
John Leahy, Airbus chief operating officer, added: “We are delighted to welcome Pegasus as a new Airbus customer. Airlines around the world are focused on growing their business profitably and the A320neo offers them a solution for doing just that.”
Pegasus’ new aircraft will be configured in an all economy layout with 180 seats in the A320neo and 220 seats in the A321neo. They will be deployed on Pegasus’ rapidly expanding network from Istanbul to destinations in Turkey, Europe and the Middle East.
With more than 8,800 aircraft ordered and over 5,300 aircraft delivered to over 380 customers and operators worldwide, the A320 is the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft family.
